8.0

Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress (Queen)

Score Breakdown

Performance 8.3Support 6Return Policy 10Pressure Relief 6Features 7

Read more on How we test mattresses

Like

• Excellent pressure relief, especially when side sleeping
• You sink into the mattress, rather than sleeping on top of it
• Sleeps cooler than other memory foam mattresses
• Top-notch motion isolation

Don't like

• Slow response time
• Minimal edge support
• Not enough support for anyone over 230 pounds

Product details

• Type Memory foam mattress
• Firmness 5 or medium
• Trial 365 nights
• Warranty Forever warranty

I fell in love with Nectar as soon as I tried the Nectar Lush mattress. When the company said it was discontinuing that model, I wasn't sure if the Nectar Premier Mattress -- the Lush's replacement -- could live up to my already high expectations. So I slept on it for 60 days to find out. Here are my thoughts after trying it for myself, and comparing it with the almost three dozen other mattresses I've tried. I break down the mattress' construction, who will most likely love it, and who should skip it.

Editor's note: In April 2022, the US Product Safety Commission posted a recall notice for certain Nectar Premier king- and queen-size mattresses because they pose a fire hazard. The affected mattresses, about 700 according to the agency, were manufactured on Sept. 24 and 27, 2021. To find out if your mattress is among those recalled, take a look at the information in the commission's recall notice and on this page of the Nectar website.

Read more: Best Mattress for 2023

First impressions

I've previously slept on the Nectar Lush, the predecessor to the Nectar Premier, and loved it. It was one of my favorite mattresses that I've tried -- and I've tried a lot -- so I had really high hopes for the Nectar Premier. As soon as it arrived, I lifted it onto my platform adjustable base, carefully cut off the plastic and let it expand. I was a little disappointed at first because the whole thing looked and felt less, well, lush, than the Nectar Lush, especially the cover. It also had a little bit of off-gassing and smelled like chemicals. It wasn't totally off-putting, but it was unpleasant enough that I opened the windows to let it air out. I left it to expand for a full 24 hours before sleeping on it and deciding how I felt.

When the mattress was fully expanded, I got into bed and situated myself on my back. I slowly began to sink into the mattress and felt the memory foam adapt to my body and contour around my pressure points. While it didn't feel cloud-like or especially plush, that's par for the course with memory foam-only mattresses and exactly what I expected. 

I turned onto my side and for a little while, I felt like I was situated in the impression my body made from lying on my back. Eventually the mattress started to bounce back and contour to my current sleeping position, but it seemed to take a bit longer than other mattresses I've tried. When the foams did eventually adjust, I felt the pressure come off my shoulders and hips and I felt noticeably lighter and really comfortable.

Admittedly, I prefer hybrid mattresses or pillow-top mattresses to only memory foam, but the Nectar Premier felt softer than I expected and had a little more give, too, which was a pleasant surprise. When I've slept on other memory foam mattresses, they've felt a little too firm around my shoulders, leading to pain and some numbness and tingling when I wake up, depending on my sleeping position. With this mattress, I didn't get any of that. It was soft enough to let my body sink in, but still provided adequate support so my spine didn't get thrown out of alignment.

Video: Nectar Premier Mattress Review

Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the Nectar Premier mattress.

Nectar Premier Mattress firmness and feel

I slept on the Nectar Premier Mattress for two months, around 60 days, and while I didn't fall in love with it right away, it grew on me over time. I felt equally comfortable lying on my back and side, although it had more lag than I would have liked adjusting to my movement. If you're a dedicated stomach or back sleeper and you rarely change positions at night, this won't be an issue for you, but if you toss and turn, you'll notice the mattress will take some time to adjust -- something to be expected of memory foam-only models.

Firmness level

The Nectar Premier Mattress is classified as a medium to medium-firm mattress. Nectar rates it a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale and I'd say that's pretty accurate. It didn't feel as plush as its predecessor, the Nectar Lush, but it had enough give to take the pressure off my hips and shoulders when I was sleeping on my side.

I generally lean toward medium-plush mattresses because I like more softness, but I consistently woke up pain-free after sleeping on the Nectar Premier. Even though I didn't have that "ahh" moment when sliding into bed at night, I felt like this slightly additional firmness was good for my body, and probably for your body too, especially if you're a back sleeper. If you have chronic back pain, however, it might be a little too soft for you.

Motion isolation

One of memory foam's claims to fame is that it's exceptional at isolating motion. Since the Nectar Premier is constructed of only memory foam and no springs, it excelled in this area. I didn't feel my boyfriend, or my dog, move around at all at night and I wasn't disturbed when he left the bed in the morning to get ready for work. 

Edge-to-edge support

While memory foam excels in motion isolation, it falls a little short in edge-to-edge support since it doesn't have any coils to help hold it up. When sitting on the edge of the bed, the Nectar Premier Mattress sagged under my weight and I felt it cave a little if I got too close to the edge when sleeping at night. It wasn't enough to make me feel like I was going to roll off, but this will be a noticeable downside for heavier people (230 pounds or more) who sleep close to the edge of the bed.

Temperature

The Premier Mattress isn't Nectar's advertised cooling mattress (that's the Nectar Premier Copper), but it does have some cooling technology. The second layer is made with a gel memory foam that helps regulate body temperature, while the quilted cover has heat wicking and cooling technology. It's designed so if you sleep hot it wicks heat away from you, and if you sleep cool it releases heat to warm you up. 

While that all sounds fancy, I didn't feel particularly cool sleeping on this mattress, but I didn't feel overly hot either. I'm a pretty cool sleeper to start with, so I felt fairly comfortable temperature-wise. If you're a hot sleeper, you'll probably feel a little too toasty in this mattress -- but Nectar also offers the Premier Copper Mattress, which has a similar construction, but with the addition of copper fibers woven into the fabric and a quilted cooling cover that wicks away heat instead of trapping it. I tested this mattress out too and it does sleep cooler than the Nectar Premier.

Nectar Mattress construction

The Nectar Premier Mattress is made of 100% memory foam, but there are different technologies strategically placed in its five layers. The mattress is 13 inches tall -- for reference, that's an inch taller than the original Nectar model and 2 inches taller than the Casper Original. All of the foams meet CertiPUR-US standards, which means they're made as safely as possible without ozone-depleting chemicals and they have low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

• The mattress starts with a base layer that's seven inches of standard high-density polyurethane memory foam. It supports the rest of the mattress and adds some initial softness that the rest of the mattress builds on.
• On top of the base layer sits two inches of dynamically adjusting foam. This is the layer that's responsible for the "bounce back" that occurs when you change positions or get off the mattress.
• There are another three inches of high-density, pressure-relieving foam on top of the dynamic layer. This foam is what cradles your body and gives you the weightless feeling that takes the pressure off your body while you sleep.

These three main layers are wrapped in two more layers -- a shift-resistant lower cover and a quilted poly-blend cooling cover that adds a bit more softness and helps pull heat away from your body.

Who is the Nectar mattress best for?

The Nectar Premier Mattress is an excellent option for many people, but it will likely be better for certain sleeping positions and body types.

Sleeping position

The Nectar Premier works well for stomach, back and combo sleepers. Although if you shift frequently through the night, you might be bothered by the slower response time of the memory foam. I'd say it's a little too firm for side sleepers who typically like more plush mattresses. 

Body type

Nectar mattresses don't have an official weight limit, but since this model is made of only memory foam without any springs, it will best support people who weigh 230 pounds or less. If you weigh more than that, it can compress the mattress too much and make it feel firmer than it is while also decreasing its contouring ability.

Price

The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress is on the higher end of the price spectrum for bed-in-a-box type mattresses, but the price is still fair. A queen retails for around $1,800, but you can often score it for less with ongoing promos and sales.

Trial, shipping and warranty

Regardless of the price you pay, Nectar always offers free shipping (and returns) and has one of the most generous at-home trials. You can sleep on the mattress for 365 nights -- a whole year -- and if you don't like it, you can return it and get a full refund, no questions asked. Nectar also offers one of the longest warranties in the industry, too. Its "forever warranty" covers abnormal deterioration, physical flaws like splits or cracks and manufacturing defects for the entire time you own the mattress. For comparison, most mattress companies offer a 10 to 15-year warranty, while some will bump that up to 25 years. You'll also receive free returns and shipping, which really takes the hassle out of transporting a mattress yourself. 

The final verdict

The Nectar Premier Mattress is technically a medium-firm mattress, but it feels more like a medium with a bit of extra plushness. It's an excellent option for back, side or combo sleepers that don't toss and turn too much and like the "sink into your mattress" feeling that comes along with memory foam. While it does trap heat a little bit, it's not excessive so if you sleep on the cooler side, you'll feel comfortable.

You might like the Nectar Premier Mattress if:

• You're a back, stomach or combo sleeper
• You like to sink into your mattress
• You sleep on the cooler side
• You like a medium-firm feel
• You weigh less than 230 pounds

You might not like the Nectar Premier Mattress if:

• You strictly sleep on your side
• You're a hot sleeper (You might want to try the Nectar Premier Copper Mattress)
• You don't like the slow sink of memory foam
• You have back pain (You might need a firmer option like the Casper Original)
• You weigh 230 pounds or more